Finger board and packer apparatus and method



March 17, 1970' N. E.'JOHNSON ETAL 3,501,017

FINGER BOARD AND RACKER APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 4, 1967 6Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS.

N AL 6 JOHN 0 sa/v BY JOHN W TUE/V65, J5

A TTOE/VEV March 17, 1970 N. E. JOHNSON ETAL 3,501,017

' FINGER BOARD AND HACKER APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 4, 1967 I 6Sheets-Sheet 2 3 .J ITEM. 3

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' Z INVENTORS.

57 O NOAL 6. Jab NEON JGHN m rgg/vez, Je

ATMEA/EV N. E. JOHNSON T L 3,501,017

March 17, 1970 FINGER BOARD AND HACKER APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec.4, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet :5

A70 J AL ATTOE/VEV FIG: 5.

March 17, 1970 N, E. JOHNSON ETAL 3,501,017

FINGER BOARD AND HACKER APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 4, 1967 6Sheets-Sheet 4 F N024 5 g A /T fi I6: 4 JOHN W rum/6e, J6.

March 17, 1970 N; E. JOHNSON E-TAL 3,501,017

FINGER BOARD AND RACKER APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 4. 1967 6Sheets-Sheet 5 m Q Q g g W5WWW 0 o o o 1| A/OAA 6 %%2% JOHN M). TUE/V66,J6

N. E- JOHNSON ET AL 3,501,017

March 17,1970

FINGER BOARD AND HACKER APPARATUS AND METHOD 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec.4. 1967 5 mm w 0 W W n 6W. A M z 3 United States Patent 3,501,017 FINGERBOARD AND RACKER APPARATUS AND METHOD Noal E. Johnson, Humble, and JohnW. Turner, Jr., Houston, Tex., assignors to Byron Jackson, Inc., LongBeach, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 4, 1967, Ser. No.687,820 Int. Cl. A471? 7/00 US. Cl. 21160 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE Apparatus for a drilling rig for oil wells primarily for useon drilling vessels with automated or semi-automated equipment, having afinger board with latch means individually operable automatically orsemi-automatically for latching and releasing each stand of pipe or thelike separably in racked position against displacement by forces createddue to roll and pitch of the vessel, high winds, etc., and method andmeans for handling drill pipe and drill collars in a vertical rackingoperation on a vessel.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related ina general way to the following applications pending concurrentlyherewith, namely: Jones and Turner, Block and Hook Structure Positioningand Guiding Apparatus (Case No. 67131- BJ) Ser. No. 687,819, filed Dec.4, 1967; Langowski and Turner, Link Stabilizer for Well Drilling Rigs(Case No. 67132-131) Ser. No. 687,817, filed Dec. 4, 1967; McFadden,Fluid Conductor Means for Hook Mounted Elevator (Case No. 67133-BJ) Ser.No. 687,829, filed Dec. 4, 1967.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed generally to the'field of oil well drilling and equipment therefor. More and moreactivity is being undertaken in the field of offshore drilling whereinstable platforms are used in shallow water but wherein floatingplatforms are desirable or a necessity for deep water drilling. Suchfloating platforms are inherently unstable and may comprise a barge orship on which is mounted the rig or derrick. In the illustration shownhere, the disclosure will be with respect to a ship-mounted derrick andthe equipment therewith.

Floating platforms and ships are inherently unstable and it is extremelydifficult to mount the equipment and perform the operations in a mannerwhich will most efficiently permit drilling from such vessel.

Particularly, for the purposes of this disclosure, the pipe-handlingequipment must be devised so that the pipe may be positioned quickly andaccurately for placing in the well hole, or may be stacked or racked insuch a manner that it cannot yield to the forces created by the roll orpitch of such vessel or by the force of wind or other forces which mightnormally be no problem in drilling from a stable platform.

In handling the pipe, ordinarily the sections are coupled into what istermed stands made up of several sections for handling purposes. It iscustomary to work a stand of three sections of pipe or drill collars,which stand must be from time to time racked in position away from thecenter of the derrick so as to be out of the Way of the drillingoperations, but readily available to be picked up and lowered into thehole or well.

Heretofore, various methods have been devised for placing the pipe overthe well opening or for racking the stands. Particular attention hasbeen given to the question of locking the pipe against displacement butthe previous methods have been unsuitable or not the most efiicient foruse on an unstable platform such as a drilling vessel. Such previousmethods have most often consisted of laying the stands down inhorizontal fashion for racking. However, some attempts have been made torack the stands of pipe vertically, especially where the drillingplatform is stable. Reference is made to Moore, US. Patent 2,507,040;Stone, US. Patents 2,619,234 and 2,628,725 and to Coon, US. Patent2,703,178 as showing some of the activity in providing equipment forvertical racking. Thereare other examples.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a pipe handling and racking arrangement and apparatus suitablefor vertical racking of pipe on a vessel. In this connection, it is aprimary object to provide an arrangement wherein the racking operationsmay be performed by an automated or semi-automated system and todisclose a method especially suitable for such racking operations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedform of finger board wherein the drill pipe and drill collars rackedtherein are securely and individually held against displacement but canbe individually removed therefrom without disturbing the latching orholding means for the remaining stands in said finger board.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved latch.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a latch arrangementwherein each latch strengthens the finger board assembly and contributesto the stability and security of the finger board and the pipe and drillcollars mounted therein.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a means and methodfor positioning and holding stands of pipe and drill collars in anorderly arrangement, easily controlled by a derrick man or by automationor semiautomation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a latch means which,when the pipe is in the finger board, extends horizontally between twofingers of the finger board forming with the finger board (and in theevent such is the case previously lowered latch means) an individualpipe racking enclosure. Such latch means may be moved vertically byhydraulic or other power means to be out of the Way of the pipe torelease the pipe and permit its removal from the finger board.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter described, and thenovel features of the invention will be defined in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of adrilling ship having a derrick assembly illustrating an installation ofapparatus exemplary to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the derrick assemblyshown in FIG. 1 taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 looking in the directionof the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating some of the racking equipment formingthe subject matter of the present invention, the view being fragmentaryand taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of thearrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale showing detailsof the finger board and racking equipment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view taken on theline 55 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

3 FIG. 6 is aside elevational'view taken on 'the line 66 of FIG. 4looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken on the lines 7--7 ofFIG. 4 looking in the direction 'of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a por tion of the fingerboard with a drill collar in place therein; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken on the line 9-9 ofFIG. 8 looking in'the direction of the arrows, and illustrating a meansof fastening a latch to an adjacent finger of a finger board.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there isshown a drilling ship 21 afloat in the water, the surface of the waterbeing designated 22. The ship has an elevated platform 23 positionedamidships. Erected on the platform is a drilling derrick 24. The shiphas a moon hole 25 through which a string of drill pipe 26 extends fromabove the platform 23 into the water and thence into the earth (notshown) below.

As this type of drilling ship with a platform and a derrick is widelyknown in the field to which the invention pertains, it need not bedescribed here in further detail.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the derrick 24 is shown somewhat schematically,sway braces, guy wires and similar structural members being omitted toenable working apparatus to be shown more clearly. The derrick hasgenerally vertical corner posts 27 and 28 supported on the platform 23on base members 29 and 31. A water table 32 near the top of the derrickcarries the usual crown 'block 33 which is aligned with the verticalcenter line of the derrick. Suspended from the crown block by cable 34is a travelling block 35. As is usual, one end (not shown) of the cable34 is anchored to the ships structure, and the other end is led to thespool 36 of a draw works 37 for raising and lowering the travellingblock and the load supported thereby.

A hook structure 38 is swingably suspended from the bottom of thetravelling block 35 by inter-engaged bails 39 on the hook and 41 on the'block. An elevator link 42 is swingably suspended from an ear 43 on thehook structure, and the link has an elevator 44 swingably attached byanother car 45 to the lower end of the link 42. A second elevator link(not seen in FIG. 2) on the other side of the hook structure 38similarly connects the elevator 44 to the hook structure 38.

The general reference numeral 46 denotes apparatus for positioning andguiding the block and hook structure. An elevator link stabilizingdevice is designated by the general reference numeral 47. The generalreference 4 bly 55 is positioned at a considerable height in the derrick54, for example, approximately 90 feet above the platform 23.

The finger board assembly, 55 has the side rail 72 extendingacross andforming what may be termed the rear of the combined finger boardassembly. Extending across the outer or closed side of the right-handfinger board section 68 is what may betermed the end rail 73, andextending across the left-hand outer end of the finger board section 69is what may be termed the end rail 74. Extending inwardly from the endrails 73 and 74vare the front rails 75 and 76, respectively. The rails72, 73, 74, 75 and 76 comprise the framework for supporting the fingerboard sections, and are sometimes referred to as a walkaround. The frontrails 75 and 76 have the braces 77, 78, 79 and 80. 7

Mounted on the end rail 74 are the drill pipe fingers 81, 82, 83, 84,8-5 and 86, and the drill collar finger cient to accommodate the size ofdrill pipe to be racked therein. The drill collar finger 87 is spacedfrom the side rail 72 a distance to accommodate the diameter of thedrill collar to be racked therein. Details of these racking fingerswillbe described later. The space between the front rail 76 and thefinger 81 is here shown at 88.

This space extends from the outer end of the finger to the base of thefinger near the rail 74 and has sufiicient horizontal depth toaccommodate a selected number of stands of pipe, in the illustrationhere shown as twelve. The same holds true with respect to the spaces 89,90, 91, 92, 93 and 94. The space 95 between the drill collar finger 87and the side rail 72 is greater than that between the other fingers, butthe depth of the space is shown as being such that it will accommodatesix stands of drill collars. The left-hand end of the space is shown asbeing closed by a gusset 96 which is preferably attached between theside rail 72 and the drill collar finger 87 and extends horizontallyoutward a distance to provide a support and reinforcement for theassembly and a stop for the first drill collar 54 racked therein.

numeral 48 designates apparatus for supplying comcollars are shown atrest in a pipe rack having a finger board 55, a base 56, and anintermediate rack member 57. The upper end of the string of drill pipe26 is shown projecting above the power tongs 58, the slips 59, and therotary table 61. Casing manipulating apparatus is shown at 62. A swiveland kelly assembly 63 is disposed in the rat hole 64.

Projecting outwardly from the derrick and positioned under the racker 51is a horizontal stage 65 upon which an operator may stand to adjust orrepair the racker.

Associated with the racker 52 is a cable 66 actuated by a fluid-poweredpiston-and-cylinder motor 67 for raising and lowering a component of theracker.

Referring next primarily to FIG. 3, the finger board is shown as beingin two sections; one, 68, located on the right-hand side and the other,69, located on the left-hand side of central opening 71 extendinglaterally with respect to the center of the well between the racksections 68 and 69. It is noted that this finger board assem- Each ofthe fingers 81 through 87 has a series of spaced latches here shown asthe latches 97 spaced apart a sufficient distance to accommodate thediameter of a drill pipe, and extending from end to end of the .fingersthere being shown in the illustration twelve such latches for eachfinger. The latches are indicated in their opened or raised position at98, for example, and in the closed position at 99. In the openedposition, pipe may be moved freely into and out of the openings betweenthe fingers.

Similarly, the side rail 72 has a series of drill collar latches 101 atspaced intervals along the opening 95. The drill color latches areindicated closed at 102 and opened at 103 for ,afpurpose similar. to theopened and closed latches of the racking fingers above described. At theouter end of the opening95, the drill collar latch here designated aslatch 104, is reinforced, for purposes which will be explained later.

The right-hand racking board section 68 is provided with drill pipefingers 105, 106, 107, 108, 109 and 111, to accommodate drill pipe, andwith the drill collar finger 112. In general, these fingers areidentical with, the fingers 81 through. 87 above described and functionthe same way. The space here shown as space 113, between the drillcollar finger 112 and the side rail 72, has in the right-hand endthereof, what may be termed a stub finger 114 which reduces the width ofthe space between the drill collar finger 112 and the side rail 72 forthe purpose of the racking of drill pipe between the stub rail 114 andthe drill collar finger 112. However, between the end of the stub finger114 and the open end of the space 113, provision is made for the rackingof drill collars, here shown as spaces (sometimes referred to ascompartments) for drill collars. The stub finger 114 has the same latcharrangement as the other drill pipe fingers, and the drill collarlatches are provided in connection with the side rail 72 the same as wasthe situation with respect to the left-hand racker section 69.

Preferably mounted on each end rail 73 and 74, are manifolds 115, therebeing in the illustration shown one manifold for each racking finger.Details of this manifold will be described later, but each manifoldcontains a two-way valve and solenoids for actuating the valves for eachlatch on the racking finger served thereby, together with hydrauliclines leading to the latch-actuating mechanism and electricalconnections leading to a console switch under control of the derrickman.

In this connection, the derrick man (shown at A in FIG. 2) has a seat116 and a console 117 preferably centered between right and left-handracking sections and facing toward the center of the drilling derrick24. This console has two banks of toggle switches schematicallyillustrated thereon, a switch for each latch and a row of switches foreach racking finger.

There is also illustrated in FIG. 3 by a broken-line view, a racker arm118 having a racker head 119 with pipe-gripping means 121, hereinreferred to as claw 121. Illustrated as being held in the claw 121 isthe pipe 49. The racker arm 118 is mounted in the carriage 122 and hasmeans (not shown) for extending and retracting the arm longitudinally.In addition, the carriage 122 is mounted in a horizontal track means-125 extending horizontally along the side of the derrick, and has meansunder control of the derrick man for moving the carriage laterally inthe track means from side to side of the derrick. Such racker arms andcarriage means are actuated by the hydraulic motors under control of afour-way valve, the control handle 123 being shown schematically on theright-hand side of the derrick mans console. The console 117 also hasvalve means indicated schematically at 124 and 125 for manipulating theracker head and claw for grasping and releasing the pipe 49. The detailsof the carriage, racker arm, racker head and claw means are not a partof this application but are merely shown schematically to indicate thegeneral arrangement. It is noted that the racker arm 118 normally willbe at a height so that it may pass over the derrick mans station withoutinterfering with his position.

Referring again briefly to FIG. 2, it is apparent that an intermediateracker arm end carriage assembly but under control of a floor man B (seeFIG. 2) designated thereon as the racker 52, is similarly constructed tothe arrangement of racker 51 as shown in FIG. 3, except that the rackerhead (not numbered) is shown as being vertically movable with respect tothe racker arm of the pipe racker 52. This enables the operator to graspa stand of pipe and raise it when it has been disconnected from the pipein the rotary table 61. A similar console, but without the toggleswitches to control the latches, is operated by the floor man B tooperate the intermediate racker 52.

Referring next primarily to the enlarged fragmentary views illustratedin FIGS. 4, and 7, there are here shown details of the racking fingers,latching means and latch actuating means. FIG. 4 illustrates primarily aportion of the left-hand racker section 69 above referred to in FIG. 3.As will be noted, the fingers 85 and 86 and the drill collar finger 87are attached by means of bolts 126 to a vertical flange 127 on theinside of the end rail 74 and extend above and below the top and bottomof the end rail (see FIG. 5 Both the drill pipe fingers 85 and 86 andthe drill collar finger 87 have a base plate 128 attached by welding orother means to the inner end of the fingers, and likewise have areinforcing angle iron 129 attached between the body of the fingers andthe base plate 128. These are drilled to receive the bolts 126 and formthe attaching means supporting the fingers on the end rail 74.

As is clearly evident from FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, the latches 97 are mountedin trunnions 131 for rotary movement between a horizontal and verticalposition. In FIG. 5, for example, the latch 97 on the left is shown inhorizontal or latched position and the latch on the right in openedposition at 98, in which latter position it will be vertical withrespect to the top of the finger 86. The latches are all equipped with apair of spaced ears 132 and 133 at the rear thereof and which extendupwardly from the surface of the latch 97 and receive the end of theplunger 134 of the hydraulic cylinder 135 between the ears. A bolt orthe like rotatably attaches the ears to the plunger 134 whereby movementof the plunger, in what may be termed a crank arm action, under theinfluence of the hydraulic cylinder 135 to move the plunger 134 outwardfrom the cylinder, will push the latch to a horizontal position in whichposition it will be held by the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder.Retraction of the plunger 134 into the cylinder by reversal of thehydraulic pressure therein will pull the ears 132 and 133 backward anddownward, resulting in the latch 97 being raised to a vertical position.Here again it will be held in vertical position so long as the fluidpressure in the cylinder acts to retract the plunger 134 or hold itretracted. Mounted in the finger 86, as in the case of all of thefingers, is a series of the hydraulic cylinders 135 extending verticallyand mounted for rotary movement on a bracket 136 in the well-knownmanner. Hydraulic lines to each end of the cylinder are provided and ashere illustrated, are the hydraulic line 137 to the upper end of thecylinder and the hydraulic line 138 to the lower end of the cylinder,the lines being connected through the manifold 115 having thereon valveand valve actuation means to be later described. Preferably, thehydraulic lines pass through an opening 139 in the bottom of the finger86. Similar openings are provided for each of the hydraulic cylinders,there being one hydraulic cylinder for each latch. Likewise, linessimilar to hydraulic lines 137 and 138 lead from each cylinder to themanifold 115 and a source of fluid pressure.

It may be noted in connection with the illustration of FIG. 5 that astand of drill pipe 53 is in the first compartment and is held andlatched therein by the positioning of the latch 97 in the horizontalposition to close the opening between the finger 86 and the finger 85(not shown in this illustration). On the other hand, a drill pipe stand53 shown in phantom is indicated as being in the compartment nextillustrated, but the compartment is still open and the stand may bemoved therefrom or the latch 97 lowered to the horizontal positionretaining the stand in place. For illustrative purposes, the finger 86is shown as broken away between the first and second latch means to makeit compatible with FIG. 3 where several drill pipes are racked beforecoming to an open compartment. In referring to compartment herein, thereference is intended to be illustrative for the space for one drillpipe (or, as the case may be, one drill collar) between two latches, forexample, as shown for illustrative purposes in FIG. 3 at 141.

Referring now primarily to FIGS. 4 and 7, it will be noted that thefinger 87 on its side facing the side rail 72, has welded thereto, orotherwise attached, a reinforcing section 143 running the full length ofthe finger 87. The same is true in connection with the drill collarfinger 112 in the right-hand section 68 of the racking board. Thisreinforcing section is to give added strength to the drill collar finger87 to withstand the forces exerted by the drill collar stand 54 shown inposition in FIG. 7. Also, there is an upwardly extending angle ironattached to the top of the reinforcing section 143, here shown as angleiron 144. The principal purpose of this angle iron is to form astrike-plate for the drill collar latches 101 and the end drill collarlatch 104. As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the drill collar latch 104is thickened by the addition of a layer of metal to the bottom layer ofthe latch, and the angle iron 144 is drilled to receive a bolt 145attaching the 7 nd drill collar latch in each section of pipe rack tothe djacent finger, that is, to finger 87 in the left-hand section Ifpipe rack (FIG. 3), and the finger 112 in the righttand section. Thisbolt is only used in extremely rough veather conditions where the vesselor ship would roll II pitch violently, and is intended to strengthen themeans tolding the drill collars firmly in place. Ordinarily, such .narrangement would not be necessary in connection vith the retention ofthe drill pipe in the other fingers.

As shown in FIG. 7 (and reference may also be had FIG. 3), a metalhousing 146 in connection with the lrill collar racking means in theright-hand racking section nd 147 for the left-hand racking section isattached 0 the top of the side rail 72, one on each side of the lerrickman A, and the mechanism for manpulating the lrill collar latches 101and 104 is located in these housngs. The drill collar latch 101 hasupwardly extending ars 148 and 149 between which is journaled the end ofhe plunger 151 of the hydraulic cylinder 152. The cylinder .52 isrotatably journaled to the back of the housing 147 .5 shown at 153.Hydraulic lines 154 and 155 lead into he respective ends of the plungerand are, in the example hown in FIG. 7, led to the manifold 115 on theside ail 72. This arrangement is similar in its operation to thetrrangement for operating the latches previously described or openingand closing the drill collar compartments, =xcept that the plunger actsin a more or less horizontal )osition. The drill collar finger, hereshown as 101 in IG. 7, is shown in its open position by dotted lineswhere t extends through a slot 157 in the top forward edge of he housing147.

Referring briefly to FIG. 3, there is indicated as visible )BtWGCI'l thefingers of the racking board, upstanding base :ipe rackers 158 whichcomprise a hemispherical seat ocated on the derrick base 56 on which thelower end of he stand of drill collars is placed to rack the stand prop-:rly aligned. As shown in FIG. 3, these are directly below 'ackersections and the stand of pipe would be positioned ts vertical in sucharrangement. However, as a practical natter, these base rackers may beoffset from the vertical oward the adjacent sides of the derrick, sothat the bot- .om of the stand of drill pipe or drill collar will benoved back from the center lines of the derrick to allow nore roomaround the well hole. Thus, the stands of pipe and the stands of drillcollar will slant inwardly at Lheir tops toward both center lines of thederrick, placing additional weight on the fingers and latches.

It is noted that the latches 97 extend very close to be adjacent fingerswhen the latches are in the horizontal aosition, and any flexing of afinger due to the forces glaced thereon will cause the latches tocontact the side )f the adjacent finger, thus reinforcing the fingers.The 2nd fingers, that is, the drill pipe finger 81 and the drill :ollarfinger 87 in the left-hand section, would be reinforced by the end latchof the finger 81 hitting the front rail 76 and by the reinforced latch104 hitting the drill :ollar finger 87 in the event of distortion ofthose fingers. fhus, latches and fingers are operative to reinforceagainst distortion or bending due to extraneous forces. As mentionedabove, in bad weather, the end drill collar .atch 104 is bolted to thefinger 87 for added reinforcenent against displacement of the drillcollars.

The same arrangement holds true for the right-hand lCCtlOH.

As noted in FIGS. 5 and 6, the manifold 115 is shown is mounted on thetop of the end rail 74 by means of Jolts 142 extending through the baseof the manifold and Into the end rail. The views in FIGS. 5 and 6 of themanifold 115 show thereon stacked valve and solenoid as- ;emblies 159,such manifolds being available to the trade from commercial sources andnot per se forming a part )1? this invention. It may be noted, however,that FIG. 6 shows a valve and solenoid as available for each latch, andeach latch is independently connected to a two-way valve with solenoidactuating means on a manifold for the particular finger on which themanifold is located. A manifold is available for each finger and foreach drill collar latch assembly for each section of the racking board.As will be apparent, the manifold has fluid inlet conduit 161 and fluidoutlet conduit 162, conduit 161 being attached to a source of fluidpressure and conduit 162 leading to the sump. These conduits are incommunication with the valves.

Each of the valves has two hydraulic lines 137 and 138 connected to thehydraulic cylinders 135, as above described, for each of the latchmeans. Thus, fluid pressure is always maintained on each manifold valvefrom a common line, and actuation of the valve to open the circuit tohydraulic line 137 will divert the pressure into that line and into theplunger end of the cylinder 135. At the same time the valve will openthe fluid circuit in line 138 to dump fluid pressure therein into thefluid outlet conduit 162 andreturn the excess fluid to the sump.Reversal of the valve by the solenoid arrangement will place the fluidpressure in the hydraulic line 138 and relieve the pressure in the line137, forcing the piston toward the plunger end and extending theplunger, thus, lowering the latch 97. Each drill collar latch 101 may besimilarly operated by reversing the flow of operating fluid in conduits154 and 155. Actuation of the solenoids for the manifold valve may bedone automatically (by a computor) but in the example, is done by thederrick man moving a toggle switch 163 indicated schematically on theconsole 117 in either the forward or reverse direction. After the latchhas moved, the switch is released and the valve being actuated in themanifold will move to a locked position holding the latch in the desiredattitude.

The manifold has a conduit 164 through which electrical leads arebrought from the console toggle switch 163 into a terminal box 165. Fromthere the individual electrical connections are made to the solenoidsfor each valve.

METHOD OF OPERATION The operation of this device will be described inconnection with the showing of a semi-automated arrangement, it beingunderstood that the device can be fully automated.

Ordinarily, the drill pipe 26 will be pulled from the well (assumingthat the operation calls for removing the pipe from the hole) throughthe rotary table 61 and tong 58 by means of the block 35 and theelevator 45, until three sections of pipe have cleared the Slip 59 andthe block 35 is in its uppermost position. The pipe will be locked inthe rotary table 69 by the slip 59 against downward movement, and theelevator will be removed from the pipe while it is being grasped by theracker head 119 on the top racker arm 118 for steadying the upperportion of the'pipe. This operation is under control of the derrick manA.

At the same time, the intermediate head on the racker 52 will be in itslowermost position and will grasp the lower section of pipe at its upsetor collar, as the case may be. While this is being done, the tong 58will be operated to spin out and disconnect the stand 49 from the pipe26 and the floor man B will actuate the hydraulic cylinder 67 to movethe racker head on the intermediate racker arm 52 to its upper positionas shown in FIG. 2. This will lift the stand of pipe 49 clear of thepipe 26 to which it was previously connected.

The derrick man A and the floor man B will then act in concert byenergizing the racker arms on the rackers 51 and 52, respectively,moving the pipe back towards the finger board 55 in the space 71 butclear of the ends of the fingers. As soon as the stand 49 has reachedthe space between the fingers into which it is to be placed, the latches97 therein having been placed in their vertical or raised position 98 bythe derrick man A flipping the toggle switch 163 to energize thelatchlifting means, the derrick man A will move the racker 51 laterallyto move the pipe 49 into the space between the racking fingers and thefloor man B will move the intermediate racker 52 laterally to bring thebottom of the stand 49 over the spherical base 158 therefor. When thishas been done, the floor man B then energizes the cylinder 67 to lowerthe racker head on the intermediate racket 52 to set the pipe 49 on thebase 158 therefor. The derrick man A then operates the toggle switch 163for the proper latch 97 causing the latch to be energized and to moveinto the horizontal position 99 retaining the pipe in the compartment141 selected therefor.

It is to be observed that ordinarily the pipe 53 will be racked firstinto the end compartments nearest the end rails 73 and 74 starting withthe first space (88 if the racking is on the left-hand finger boardsection 69) and next proceeding with the second stand to rack the endcompartment in the space 89 and so on, until there is a single row ofstands in the finger board section 69 at the left-hand end thereof.Next, they will fill the second compartment in each of the spaces,moving the latch 97 from its vertical 98 to its horizontal position 99in each instance to hold the pipe 53 therein.

As mentioned above, release of the toggle switch locks the latch 97 inthe position selected.

When the left'hand section 69 has been filled, then the derrick man Aracks the right-hand section 68 in the same way.

Since it is last to come out of the hole and first to go into the hole,the drill collars 54 will then be racked in the same way in theirrespective sections.

It is noted that, should the operators A and B prefer, they can rack tofill the space 88 completely before starting on the space 89. However,due to the possible interference of the racked stands 53 with the rackerhead 119, it is possible only to rack from the outside toward thederrick man or from the left toward the center of the left-hand section69. Similarly, the same principal holds true to the right-hand section68 where the righthand row of compartments will be filled first or thespace furthest from the operator will be filled first.

It is understood that reference herein is made to fluid under pressure.A pump or other source of said fluid is not disclosed but is believed tobe a common expediency. The same holds true for a sump into which theexcess fluid is dumped.

No point has been made of the paths and location of the variouselectrical and fluid lines, it merely being necessary to state that theyare usually located in a trough below the fingers and underneath thewalkaround, or any other convenient location where they are out of theway.

While we have herein shown and described various embodiments of ourpresent invention, including a method for racking stands of pipe anddrill collars, still we do not wish to be limited thereto except as maybe required by the limitations in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pipe racking apparatus for the vertical racking of stands ofdrill pipe and drill collars used in oil wells and the like, comprising:

(a) a finger board having at least one finger board section;

(b) a plurality of inwardly extending horizontal fingers spaced apart adistance to accommodate the diameter of a drill pipe or drill collar tobe racked therein;

(c) a plurality of latch means spaced longitudinally of each saidfinger, each latch being spaced a distance from any adjacent latch atleast the diameter of a drill pipe or drill collar to be racked, therebyforming between said latches and said fingers a compartment to receivesuch drill pipe or drill collar;

(d) each latch means being hinged at one end to the finger on which itis mounted for pivotal movement between a vertical position and ahorizontal position with respect to said finger, the arrangement beingsuch that when the latch means is in the horizontal position it extendslaterally at right angles to said finger and when it is in the verticalposition it extends vertically with respect to said finger on which itis mounted, the former being the closed position and the latter beingthe open position for said latch means; and

(e) power-actuated means selectively operable to move each said latchmeans independently of each other said latch means between its verticaland horizontal positions and to hold it in the position to which it ismoved.

2. A pipe racking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fingerboard sections are mounted in a framework comprising a rear rail, an endrail on the end of which one section of a finger board is mounted, and afront rail, said rear rail forming one side of a compartment for rackingdrill collars and having thereon a latch means for each compartment, andfluid actuated means for each such latch means.

3. A pipe racking apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein there aretwo finger board sections and a rear rail, two endrails and two frontrails, the latter having an opening therebetween, each finger boardsection being mounted on one of the end rails, and each finger boardsection having latch means on the rear rail for the racking of drillcollars.

4. A pipe racking apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each rackingboard section includes a drill collar finger, and wherein each rackingboard section has a latch movable horizontally to extend between therear rail and the end of the drill collar finger, and means for lockingthe drill collar finger to the last-mentioned latch means forstabilizing the drill collar finger.

5. Pipe racking apparatus as defined in claim 1, including a racker basedisposed below said finger board and having rows of protuberancesadapted to receive the lower end of each of said drill pipe or drillcollar, said protuberances being in spaced relation aligned beneath thespaces between said fingers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,718,395 6/1929 Webb et al.1,804,962 5/1931 Thorp. 2,094,506 9/1937 Umphres. 2,148,058 2/1939Clark. 2,773,605 12/1956 Jarnett. 3,286,777 11/1966 Gyongyosi -85 JAMESA. LEPPINK, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,501,017 Dated March 1?, 1970 Inventor(s) Noel E. Johnson and John W.Turner, Jr.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Sheets 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of drawings, line 2, cancel IIAND METHOD Column1, line 3, cancel AND METHOD"; line 29, after "Turner," should be --Jr.-line 32, after "Turner," should be Column line 51, "flngers" should be--fingers--.

Column 5, line #7, "end" should be --a.nd--.

Column 7, line 15, "manpulating" should be --ma.nipulating--.

Column 8, line w, "slip" should be --slips--; line +9, "69" should be--6l--; "slip" should be --slips--.

sums ma s mm OCT 271970 EdwardMFletchcr,Ir. m

Altcstmg Officer g 1 m of PatInt-s

